Book Description

In exploring the manifestations of human spiritual experience both in the imaginative activities of the individual and in the formation of mythologies and of religious symbolism in various cultures, C. G. Jung laid the groundwork for a psychology of the spirit. The excerpts here illuminate the concept of the unconscious, the central pillar of his work, and display ample evidence of the spontaneous spiritual and religious activities of the human mind. This compact volume will serve as an ideal introduction to Jung's basic concepts.

Part I of this book, "On the Nature and Functioning of the Psyche," contains material from four works: "Symbols of Transformation," "On the Nature of the Psyche," "The Relations between the Ego and the Unconscious," and "Psychological Types." Also included in Part I are "Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious" and "Psychological Aspects of the Mother Archetype." Part II, "On Pathology and Therapy," includes "On the Nature of Dreams," "On the Pathogenesis of Schizophrenia," and selections from "Psychology of the Transference." In Part III appear "Introduction to the Religious and Psychological Problems of Alchemy" and two sections of "Psychology and Religion." Part IV, called "On Human Development," consists of the essay "Marriage as a Psychological Relationship." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent Introduction to Jung
This edition includes exerpts from many of the works recently published by Princeton. Gave me some very valuable direction toward the volumes I was most interested in pursuing (The 20 Princeton volumes are well documented in the Bibliography). It's always valuable to read the original author rather than his disciples (or detractors). Favorite quotes: "I for my part prefer the precious gift of doubt, for the reason that it does not violate the virginity of things beyond our ken." (p. 544) and "Paradox is one of our most valued spiritual possessions." (p. 553)

Forever Jung
True, Freud may claim his place as the father of modern psychology and psychoanalysis, but his protege and rebellious son Jung has developed his own unique ideas about the unconcious and about man himself. Expecially when compared to Freud, Jung's writing is boistrous, passionately scholarly and even exciting. His synthesis of alchemical and religious symbol into the theory of collective unconscious has been enormously influential on psychology, and is much more interesting than Freud's often-tedious theoretical work. If anything, he is far more fun to read than Freud ever was, and any reader looking to escape his narrow Oedipal strangulation should find Jung refreshing and engrossing reading. If for no other reason than his historical significance, Jung is also a great read. Well worth the time and effort ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

All Hail Aaron Beck!
I love Aaron Beck, the founder of cognitive therapy. I think he has great insight into the various personality disorders. This book is incredibly helpful. It includes all of the disorders, their way of thinking, they co-morbidity, their treatment, case studies, and more. If you want one book on the treatment of personality disorders, this is the one to get.

Very well organized and researched
I love Becks work in the field of Cognitive therapy.I have long had the trouble of finding a modality that effectivly works with personality disorders.I bought this book in an attempt to bridge my knowledge from purely Axis I to include Axis II disorders.

The book goes through each and every personality disorder one at a time.This made it very easy to research one specific problem without having to sift through pages and pages of irrelevant information for the task at hand.

Within each chapter Beck defines the typical automatic thoughts, or faulty reasoning, that is commonly associated with the personality disorders.He then gives broad treatment plans and goals to deal with the symptoms.

Beck is very well organized and succienct.You will walk away from even a short reading of this book feeling more confident and better equipped to deal with the disorders without the usually doubts that maybe you didnt get the whole gist of what the author was trying to say.

I felt that this was extremely well done.I also appreciate that Beck does not promise more then he can deliver and he is the first one to say that outcomes for Axis II disorders are still poor compared with Axis I.

Classic cognitive therapy
Beck and his group have written a classic in cognitive therapy with clear conceptulization of personality disorders. This is a difficult population to treat and Beck's work is clear and on target. Clincal examples enrichthe theory making it an essential reference.

Treating clients with personality disorders...
This is a great book! It has a lot of practical information on how to approach treatment for a client who has a personality disorder. Included are case examples and problems that a therapist may have in treating clients. Additionally, the book includes specific intervention strategiesand recommendations on how to develop a good working relationship. This isespecially important, because a client's interpersonal problems will beplayed out during session with the therapist. I have used the informationin this book to anticipate and prepare for specific issues that have arisenin session. ... Read more

Book Description

Interactive Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences is an engaging tour of the topics covered in most behavioral science statistics textbooks: descriptive statistics, the logic of hypothesis testing, t tests, power analysis, confidence intervals, analysis of variance, correlation/regression, and nonparametric inferential statistics. Yet, it employs a radically different pedagogical approach. Without wholly abandoning the tradition of using a printed textbook to supplement classroom or online instruction, this system has at its core an interactive set of components that run through Web browsers such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. Working through these components, students create their own customized learning experience, rather than passively reading a printed text. The end result is students who can better master—and perhaps even enjoy—a subject that many approach with trepidation.

System Components

The CD contains the text, with in-text queries, interactive activities and figures, calculation tools, and review exercises. This allows local access to the system for those times when working online proves slow or unreliable.

The Website includes everything above, plus many more online features. For more details regarding online features, see "Features of the Interactive Text," below. Purchasers of this textbook will have access to the online component for 180 days from their first login.

The Printed Textbook includes the full text, formulas, all figures, and statistical tables. It allows for reading and/or review while away from the computer, and provides students with a comfort zone as they become familiar with the online features.

Apart from providing a more enjoyable experience for students, Interactive Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences offers benefits for the computer-savvy instructor. First, the text is customizable via the "Note" feature: here instructors can add notes to any page as well as links to graphics or Websites of interest; their students see these notes whenever they are reading the text online. As students progress through the chapters, instructors can assign specific problems to assess their progress. When students submit their answers, the server checks them and stores graded answers. Instructors can then view the answers in their own Web browsers, assign a grade, and generate an e-mail response. This saves class and grading time (not to mention trees). ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A study on human behavior
I would do great injustice if I attempt to provide my thoughts on the works of Sigmund Freud. I admit my knowledge in this area is shallow and limited; and I took this read more out of curiosity than a scientific study. With this said I would ask you to bear with me in the following paragraphs and at the same time suggest taking this read with a caution that undertaking this read requires immense patience.
The ego has the task for self-preservation; it performs that task by becoming aware of the stimuli, by storing up experiences about them in the memory. It handles it by avoiding strong stimuli, by dealing with moderate stimuli and finally by learning to bring about expedient changes in the external world to its own advantages. It performs that task by gaining control over the demands of the instincts, by deciding whether they are to be allowed satisfaction, by postponing the satisfaction to times and circumstances favorable to the external world or by suppressing their excitation entirely. It is in this activity that tensions are produced by the stimuli. The raising and lowering of these tensions cause unpleasure and pleasure. It is probable however that what is felt as pleasure or unpleasure is not the absolute heights and lows but something in the rhythm of the changes in them. The ego strives after pleasure and seeks to avoid unpleasure. An increase in unpleasure which is unexpected is met by a signal of anxiety.
In contrast to ego; the id expresses the true purpose of the individual organisms life. This consists for the satisfaction of its innate needs. No such purpose as keeping itself alive or protecting itself from dangers by means of anxiety can be attributed to the id. That is the task of the ego to figure out the most favorable and the least perilous method of obtaining satisfaction; which entails taking the external world into account. The forces which hide behind the tensions caused by the needs of the id are called instincts. Freud proposed the existence of two basic instinct Eros and destructive instinct. The aim of the first is to establish greater unities and to preserve them thus in short to bind them together. The aim of the second is to undo connections and to destroy things. Modifications in the proportions of the fusion between the two instincts have the most opposite result. A surplus of sexual aggressiveness will turn a lover into a sex murderer, while a sharp diminution in the aggressive factor will make him bashful or impotent.

excellent resource....
well-organized and well-written; very compact and filled with formulations useful to a comprehension of some of Freud's core concepts.

This book was informormative and well written
I found that this book was on a higher level than most of Freud's literary pieces. Though many of the same information is presented here, it is presented in a wholey different manner, and a much more understandable one. I personaly find this a fairly good source of reference. Though one can not rely completely on anyone of Freud's ideas; they give good background to new ones. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Routina
This book doesn't tell us anything we don't already know. Also it tries to interpret events. Anybody with internet access can read about favelas of Rio and the "parallel government" that rules the shanty-towns.

In fact, at least two groups in Rio give tours of these slums. And you will find things quite peaceful (the tour operators have not been injured in over 15 yrs of giving tours).

In a word: it's all about (drug) money.

Not for the faint of heart
Scheper-Hughes's book is certainly the most impacting book I have read in months. I cannot call it entertaining but it is riveting in presenting a mind-boggling situation of abject poverty in Northeastern Brazil with its consequent infant and child mortality and impacts on the family structure.

Death Without Weeping is a very original, very relevant, and carefully written book although not perfect. The book is the result of extensive field research by Dr. Scheper-Hughes, Professor of Anthropology at the University of California at Berkeley but nevertheles very readable. I could understand and enjoy most of it without having had extensive training in Anthropology.

The author does a wonderful job in translating Alto do Cruzeiro reality into something the average American can understand. This "translation" certainly adds a bias but is still indispensable in my opinion. I consider that the author's religious beliefs strongly affected the outcome of the book and that I think could have been avoided.

I understand that the author has it's ethics and wouldn't reveal in the text the actual location name for Bom Jesus da Mata. I'm not tied by the same ethics so I can tell it: Bom Jesus da Mata is actually Timbauba, a 60,000 inhabitants town on the outskirts of Recife. The book subtitle, "The Violence of Everyday Life in Brazil" couldn't be worse. Timbauba is not Brazil. It has its own very specific problems and to read the book without understanding the great diversity among Brazil's regions would be very unfair to the country. Even in a local scale, Alto do Cruzeiro is not Timabuba and Timbauba is not Pernambuco. If you read the book don't rule out the possibility of going down to Brazil and having a wonderful time there. Tourism is a very good way of alleviating if not solving the problems presented in the book.

I have read now dozens of books written in English by the so-called Brazilianists who most of the times are not Brazilians themselves. Most of the books have the same problem of Death Without Weeping: there's a total sloppiness in spelling the Portuguese words. I can't believe UC Berkeley couldn't hire a Brazilian graduate student to proofread the originals. Moreover, the Geraldo Vandre quote on the very first page of the book, which gives the book its name was completely fabricated. Disparada is a great song and for writing songs such as "Disparada" and "Para Nao Dizer Que Nao Falei Das Flores", Geraldo Vandre was captured and tortured by the military dictatorship in Brazil. He was later released but severely braindamaged. However, the verses Scheper-Hughes quoted do not exist in "Disparada".

I was shocked to learn on the book's Epilogue who Seu Jacques, whom the book is dedicated to, was. But this suspense I'm not going to break.

Leonardo Alves - Houghton, MI - October 2002

Scheper-Hughes At Her Very Best
I have seen death without weeping. The destiny of the Northeast is death. Cattle they kill, But to the people they do something worse. --Geraldo Vandre, Disparada

"Death Without Weeping: Violence of Everyday Life in Brazil" is a brilliant anthropological and sociological depiction of life in the Nordeste region of Brazil. In Death Without Weeping, Scheper-Hughes carefully analyzes the Mother-Child relationship in a region of Brazil with the highest infant mortality rate in Latin America. Centered in the village of Alto do Cruziero, Scheper-Hughes continues to work with the community she had first joined as a Peace Corps volunteer decades before. Rekindling her relationship with the villagers and the land, she takes a new perspective to study the emotional and physical strain on a region where every life is touched with the pain of infant mortality. She examines the frightening reality of a place where mothers have absolutely no safety net and cannot protect their children from the disease, hunger, and destitute living conditions.

Scheper-Hughes further discusses the role of international corporations and their influence (usually negative) in the Nordeste region.

Death Without Weeping is absolutely brilliant. Scheper-Hughes is at her finest, and her work is impeccable. This is one of the finest works of sociology and anthropology I have read.

Nancy Scheper-Hughes takes a critical-interpretive approach.
Nancy Scheper-Hughes' book "Death Without Weeping" is an outstanding piece of a true anthropological approach to studying a difficult concept: Mothers in Brazil do not mourn for dead infants. Coming from America, it seems difficult to understand the lack of innate "Mother Love." Scheper-Hughes looks at both the political-economic problems in Brazil as a coutry as well as the beliefs and meanings that mothers living in a Shantytown place on their infants (dead or alive). By looking at records, talking to officials, and researching the history of Brazil, Nancy Scheper-Hughes is able to understand how the state of the political and econimic system in Brazil is partially responsible for the horrible deaths and indifferent mothers living in these shantytowns. Alternatively she has been able to get a true understanding of what meanings these women place on their infants death. By looking at both sides, the way Scheper-Hughes has done, we can obtain a better understanding of the true problem and how the people deal with it. Although Nancy Scheper-Hughes does not offer solutions in this book, she tells all of the clues needed to find a solution. Great Book!

Not a great read
Although this book is to be praised as a fine piece of scholarship and field work, I did not enjoy reading it that much. Here I will jump off into pure personal opinion. I think the author interceded way too much between the reader and what she observed in shantytown life in northeast Brazil, interpreting things for the reader from start to finish. I feel the reason she did so is because she was afraid to simply tell the reader what she observed, because she felt there were 999 chances out of a thousand that the reader would "not understand". Mostly the author "interpreted" without even telling the reader what the facts were which she was interpreting. It was obvious that the author had seen hundreds of stories of what a normal observer would call child neglect to the point of where the child died, yet it was like she was these people's mother and couldn't bear the thought of what she had seen as being, in some else's eyes, perhaps akin to murder. I wish she had given us the facts, and then she could have given us her opinion, while letting the reader make up their own mind. The real story of a culture where mothers starve their children to death every day would be fascinating, and then we could decide whether we wanted to forgive them or interpret the situation as does the auther. I'm not saying she's wrong, but she simply didn't give us the "real story", ie, all the facts. She may well be right, but the facts would be fascinating.

Michael Chesser ... Read more

Book Description

Routledge is now re-issuing this prestigious series of 204 volumes originally published between 1910 and 1965. The titles include works by key figures such asC.G. Jung, Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget, Otto Rank, James Hillman, Erich Fromm, Karen Horney and Susan Isaacs. Each volume is available on its own, as part of a themed mini-set, or as part of a specially-priced 204-volume set. A brochure listing each title in the International Library of Psychology series is available upon request. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A very helpful book
I found this book to be quite helpful.

Unresolved inner-conflicts can produce states of anxiety, depression, indecision, inertia, detachments, and so on. Essentially, every neurotic symptom points to an underlying inner-conflict.

Karen Horney describes in detail the many false and artificial attempts the person will employ to rid himself of his inner conflicts. Instead of resolving his conflicts, however, he will merely evade them. He will repress his conflicts and deny them in ways that will only intensify his anxiety and other neurotic symptoms.

Ultimately, she explains, that the neurosis will only be relieved when the person comes to understand his inner-conflicts and works to resolve them. Karen Horney is very thorough in her writings. Although this book was written for psychiatrists and psychoanalysts, it is accessible and helpful to anyone suffering from anxiety, depression, and inertia.

After reading this book, you will certainly come away with a better understanding of yourself as well as a better understanding of others.

Know Thyself..
You've read the above reviews, and I second them all, so I will not repeat them. Let me just add that you will want a pencil and highlighter, because you will be underlining, circling, and making notes to yourself in the margin. This is an irreplaceable tool if you're into self-cultivation. A giant step UP from the abundant new-age spiritual soul-candy out there. It is not a book on spirituality, but identifying and correcting our OWN inner conflicts is the cornerstone of spiritual practice; therefore I highly recommend it for seekers and cerebrals alike. Everyone has heard the saying "Know Thyself"; this book will help you do it.

takes up where SELF-ANALYSIS left off...
...and traces, not just the "pathways" of inner conflict, but their intertwinings, demonstrating with case examples how problems in one area of one's life put roots into many areas.

Insightful, Brilliant, Simply Correct
Karen Horney is one of the greatest of the Post-Freudian psychoanalysts. Horney's concepts of the root causes of neurosis, a basic anxiety, a sense of lurking hypocrisy , an idealized self image, conflicting impulses, are ingeniously insightful and, I have found, correct. Her paradigm is very useful for understanding human behavior; not only the behavior of those who would be diagnosed with a formal disorder but also of those whose personalities contain elements of neurosis not extensive enough for formal diagnosis. Understanding her concepts can also be valuable for those of us who would like to understand our own neuroses better. If you want to understand psychoanalysis, read Freud, read Jung, but read Horney as well. Without her ideas, your understanding will be sorely incomplete. Remember, Jung and Frued can be integrated with Horney, synthesis brings greater understanding. Read, learn, and enjoy the benefits.

Excellent; A worthwhile read
Our Inner Conflicts offers fascinating insight into the conflicts which frustrate all of us to some extent, as well as a look into the psychology of the people that tend to frustrate us. I have read this book several times over the years, and each time have taken away something new. While this book is not as detailed as Horney's Neurosis and Human Growth, it is certainly more accessible. I recommend reading them both. ... Read more

Download Description

This book offers an exciting new collection of recent research on the actual processes that humans use when making decisions in their everyday lives and in business situations. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Theory and Practice of Understanding Your Dreams
This compact discussion of the Jungian method of dream analyses is a thorough examination of basic concepts as they are applied in practical dream interpretation. The author, a psychiatrist and Jungian Analyst, clearly outlines the process of understanding dreams and addresses their purpose. Dreams are for "problem solving and personality development." First they are compensation for conscious attitudes that are ineffective . Secondly dreams serve as guides to conscious integration of the unconscious elements of the psyche as an individual matures into an effective individuated being.
As an experienced student of dreams for 50 years, I consider this to be the best concise source. His example dreams illustrate the concepts and his organization of the theory of knowing one's Self is not dogmatic. As he states the process is one of flexibility in differentiating the personal psyche of an individual from the universal and cultural structures that influence us all. ... Read more

Book Description

Handbook of Behaviorism provides a comprehensive single source that summarizes what behaviorism is, how the various "flavors" of behaviorism have differed between major theorists both in psychology and philosophy, and what aspects of those theories have been borne out in research findings and continue to be of use in understanding human behavior. ... Read more

Book Description

Acclaimed by Psychology Today as one of the best books of 1977, this study explores the relationship between therapist and patient, and explains the roots, methods, and aims of Gestalt therapy. Line drawings. ... Read more

Book Description

Jung has never pursued the "psychology of religion" apart from general psychology. The unique importance of his work lies rather in his discovery and treatment of religious, or potentially religious, factors in his investigation into the unconscious as a whole and in his general therapeutic practice. In Answer to Job, first published in Zurich in 1952, Jung employs the familiar language of theological discourse. Such terms as "God," "wisdom," and "evil" are the touchstones of his argument. And yet, Answer to Job, perhaps Jung's most controversial work, is not an essay in theology as much as it is an examination of the symbolic role that theological concepts play in a person's psychic life. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Penetrating analysis of our changing relationship to God
Doctor Jung expresses concern in his Introduction that readers will misinterpret the ideas contained in this book. Jung presents examples of the unconscious, capricious behavior of Yahweh (GOD) who self-righteously proclaims his moral superiority over humankind and enforces a strict adherence to his sense of justice. This self-delusion reaches culmination in the collusion of Yahweh and his 'shadow son' Satan in the undeserved sadistic persecution of a righteous man, Job, in a cosmic wager. Job's principled response to this persecution demonstrates humankind exhibiting a higher morality than shown by Yahweh. Yahweh, reaching a higher level of consciousness, realizes that he must atone to humankind for the wrong he has done. His attempt to make this atonement through incarnation as Jesus Christ is only partially successful. The later appearance of the Holy Ghost is Yahweh's attempt to perfect himself further through a personal incarnation into humankind in general. Jung moves on to a psychological analysis of the Book of Revelation, where the shadow side of the author, the Apostle John, is evident in the torments predicted to befall humankind.

Jung's theological ideas are radical and open to misinterpretation. His thinking on the 'problem of evil' and the evolving relationship of God to humankind is the attempt of a wise, old man to make sense of the conflicting images present in the mythology of the Bible.

Interesting Psychology, NOT A WORK OF THEOLOGY
I write this review as a caution to others who might consider taking up this book as a commentary on the Biblical Book of Job. This text is a fine example of Jungian psychology, from the pen of the man himself, and as such it deserves respect and a proper evaluation on psychological rather than theological grounds. However, this book is not and was never intended to be a work of theology of any sort, much less a piece if Biblical interpretation. Jung uses the contest between God and Satan for the soul of Job as a metaphor for his own theories about the processes of the unconscious and the innate structure of the human psyche. Those theories, in themselves, may be correct, but that is a highly dubious interpretation on the Scriptural work itself. Jung, to his credit, admits up front that he is not engaging in theology per se; alas, many of his readers don't seem to comprehend that. In short, if you are interested in Jungianism, this is a central work, but if you are looking for theology in general or a commentary on Job in particular, you should go elsewhere.

Surprised at how poorly Jung understood God
Carl Jung is highly respected by psychologists, both private and religious. I read some works by Jung on dreams and people who claimed they saw flying saucers. These so much impressed me that I also formed a high opinion of Jung. I then read Jung's "Answer to Job" when I researched a book I wrote about "Revelation and the Fall of Judea." I had read commentaries by many authors to make sure I understood what others had said. "Answer to Job" touched on the same topic. What an eye opener! This man, so highly revered as an expert on human thinking, doesn't himself understand who God is and what God has done, even with Job.

Jung claims that God once was in a state of unconsciousness and was prodded by Lucifer, who was inclined to make use of God's omniscience, into acting unfairly with Job. Job proved himself morally superior to God. God then became the human being, Jesus Christ, so he could suffer the way Job was made to suffer. Jung's position surprised me because God was never in a state of unconsciousness. God is unchanging. Jung mentions Lucifer. I'm surprised that Jung didn't believe the biblical text that it was Lucifer who brought suffering onto Job. Lucifer did it to demonstrate before God that Job would blaspheme God if Job experienced misfortune. God gave Lucifer permission to harass Job but set limits on what Lucifer could do. Job actually proved himself morally superior to Lucifer because, even when suffering misfortune, Job would not rebel against God, whereas, Lucifer, without any suffering, rebelled through pride.

Job had three friends who tried to convince him that he offended God somehow, and that is why misfortune came. Their opinions were not true. Scripture has it that Lucifer brought misfortune to goad Job into rebellion. God permitted this because God had already informed Lucifer how faithful Job is. Now, under fire, Job's faithfulness is tried and proven. Spiritual growth came out of Job's suffering. That's why God permitted it. When the book of Job ends, God told Job to pray for his three friends because their untrue advice had offended God. I'm surprised Jung didn't pick up on that. God's asking Job to pray for his friends is one of the keys to understanding the book of Job.

Answer to Job more aptly titled Answer to Freud
For me this book is a wonderful example of how Jung was able to work with archetypes and myths when dealing with his own relationships. One familiar with the letters between Freud and Jung will find in the description of Yahweh and Jung's complaints against this punishing, abandoning, and at times unself-aware image of God the very real feelings he experienced with Freud.
I believe Jung did in this book what he could not do in his real life experience with Freud. That is reconcile parts of the relationship that hurt him deeply while finding a way to understand the limitations of both Freud and the PsychoAnalytic community which he felt abandoned him after the break with Freud.
He did this by attributing to God the containment of all things of the paradoxial nature of being both light and darkness/ evil and good.

Why have you forsaken me?
Freud was merely a rational atheist. Jung not only believes in God but in 'Answer to Job' he has the temerity to psychoanalise Him. . .

The reuslts are provocative.

Jung reasons that God was a schmuck towards Job (and by extension to all innocents who suffer from 'acts of God') due to His not being fully conscious. A strange theory since, it would seem that by definiton God is Omniscient.

However God, in Jung's model, contains all opposites and paradoxes--including choosing not to consult Himself. Had He done so, He could have seen that Job would have been faithfull to the end and not needed to take Satan's "bet".
The devil is still able to waltz into heaven in the book of Job and complain about how rotten mankind is.

Unconsciousness accounts why God allows evil, why He breaks His own covenant and commandments, and why throughout The Old Testament accounts in His dealings with Israel He often resembles a petulant child given to fits of rage towards his pet hamster.

In short, why the Jews were right to "fear" Him, big time.

In the end of, God pulls out all the stops and counters Job's anguished pleadings for an answer to his misery with a 'might makes right' speech; while all poor Job can do is declare that he knows that his 'Advocate' lives, and then shut up.

Job is the moral winner while the seed of doubt is implanted in God that He's not exactly playing cricket, and His desire to Know culminates in the 'tour the force' (Jung's words) of The Incarnation.

Jesus (the Advocate) now had to be born so that God could experience how we poor slobs muddle through down here.

Christ's mission therefore is not only to save humanity, but also God from His worse half.

On the cross, when God shouts to God: 'Why have you forsaken me?' He's finally made the grade.
The union of God and Man.

Four stars only due to Jung's heavy prose and his peppering his paragraphs with untranslated Greek--

At first the book seems like a joke (perhaps it is but is it a joke or a Joke?) but going from syllogism to syllogism Jung does builds a powerful if disturbing thesis.

Despite his protestations that this is a work of psychology, inevitably 'Answer to Job' becomes a fascinating and bizarre work of theology. ... Read more

Book Description

A vitally important introduction to the theories of one of the most original thinkers in psychology today, A Blue Fire gathers selected passages from many of Hillman's seminal essays on archetypal psychology. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Thoughtful and engaging. It gives pause for reflection.
"Blue Fire" is an anthology of selections from James A. Hillman's major works, including "Insearch: Psychology and Religion," "Suicide and the Soul," "Healing Fiction," and others, including journal and magazine articles in such diverse publications as "Spring," "Utne Reader," "Institute Newsletter," and "Loose Ends: Primary Papers in Archetypal Psychology." This should not scare you away. On the contrary, the reader will find that "Blue Fire" is quite readable and understandable. The selections in this book challenge you to think. Thomas More (editor) did an excellent job in assembling and introducing the selections in the book, tying them together so that they show a logical continuity of thought. If you read "Psychology Today," you should have no trouble with this book. You will find it delightful. If you have a deeper interest in 'depth psychology,' Jungian Psychology, or archetypal psychology, you will find this an excellent read.

Hillman's approach to psychology is one of addressing the individual as an individual within a society, paying strict attention to the needs of that individual and his/her soul. Psychology is not treating mental disorders and symptoms of such disorders, it is caring for the soul. Much of what can be accomplished is a transformation of the soul symbolically through the use of imagination, poetry, symbolism, and metaphor. "Blue Fire" was an epiphany for me. It caused me to look at many things from a different prospective. I found a new appreciation for spirituality and soulfulness, as well as the need to accept others and myself.

Delicious full course meals or small snacks of soul food.
This book can be consumed as a full course meal. For example, read a chapter like "The Salt of Soul, the Sulfur of Spirit," and there is enough material to feel full for several hours as you digest the many metaphors, and delicious word play. For a snack, Hillman provides "Recipes", little snippets to be consumed in the morning or before going to bed.If consumed before bed, one's dreams may be seeded by an ever-expanding Hillman metaphor. Bon Appetit.

i

Everything You Wanted to Know About the Psyche
This book is soulful dynamite, appearing intellectual, but don't be fooled; read it with an open heart, and if you are into meditation, you will find much to meditate on here, e.g., "The Psyche historicizes to make it look real." Don't just think about it, meditate on it, and perhaps you, too, will pierce the veil of Illusion (Maya). I can at least hope that for you :)

A great summary of the author's opus.
The reading of this book was my first contact with the work of this author, which I already knew about from my readings of Thomas Moore's books. I have already read other books by Hillman by now. This book presents passages, aspects, and ideas from his other books. I found it to be a wonderful introduction to Hillman's views allowing me to select from his vast production the type of reading that I am looking for at any given time, within this broad area of undestanding human nature. My word of appreciation also to Thomas Moore(editor),who wrote the introduction to each chapter in a very elegant style that provides valuable insights to the comprehension of the deep thought of Hillman. I recommend this book widely.

'i enjoyed this one bunches'
eventhough i understood about 50% of this i loved nourishing myself with it each night.... ... Read more

Book Description

If one could ask Milton Erickson anything one wishes about how to change people, the result would be these conversations. The lively discussions are about the basic issues in the clinical field and are essential to the education of any therapist today. These conversations took place over a period of 17 years and were recorded as part of Gregory Bateson's project on communication and therapy. Bateson is involved in these conversations, which were primarily conducted by Jay Haley and John Weakland who were specializing in the study of Erickson's way of changing human beings. There are three volumes in this series. This volume presents the wide variety of therapy techniques Erickson innovated for dealing with individuals and covers the whole range of psychological problems. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A classic in family therapy
This series of conversations sets the stage for stratigic family therapy.Erickson is in classic form here, the wit, the insight, and the process of change are all laid out quite well here.What these series do it lay out the way Erickson worked, and the guiding principles that he used in therapy.These books were out of print for years, and it is great to see them back!! ... Read more

Book Description

Cognitive behavior therapy is now firmly established as the leading psychological treatment for many psychiatric conditions, and numerous controlled trials have demonstrated its effectiveness. This innovative book provides detailed guidance on how to practice cognitive behavior therapy with patients suffering from a wide range of emotional disorders. Unlike most existing handbooks this guide concentrates on treatment. The editors have drawn together contributions from acknowledged experts in the practice, teaching, and empirical investigation of cognitive-behavioral principles, followed by a detailed account of how to carry out a cognitive-behavioral assessment. Subsequent chapters provide self-contained descriptions of how to use cognitive behavior therapy to treat particular conditions, including panic and generalized anxiety, phobic disorders, depression, obsessional disorders, somatic problems, eating disorders, chronic psychiatric handicaps, marital problems, and sexual dysfunctions. A final chapter describes problem solving. Each chapter begins with a description of the condition under consideration, outlines assessment procedures and how to formulate the problem, and then takes the reader step-by-step through treatment, emphasizing how to overcome difficulties encountered during treatment. Extensive use is made of clinical material and case illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Knowlege is Power
This particular work is flowing with useable and believable knowlege! You don't have to be a rocket-scientist to comprehend it, but you must have a passion for the deep. This book takes you on a mind-boggling trail as you see how your reactions are all linked to a substantiated incident. Take for instance the bell theory that is mentioned in the very first paragraph. Your mind is triggerd and tricked so easily! I highly recommend this work in its entirity. It soaks into your thought pattern! ... Read more

Book Description

Jung's last major work, completed in his 81st year, on the synthesis of the opposites in alchemy and psychology. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

For fans of the genre only
I did not find this book to be as useful as most of the other volumes of Carl Jung's collected works. Keep in mind that I love and respect Carl Jung as much as anyone; I have devoted nearly a year of my life solidly to reading Jung's collected works, and they have been the source of much joy, fulfillment, and enlightenment for me. However, _Mysterium Conjunctionis_ has contributed very little to these positive changes I have experienced, for the following reasons:

1. The footnotes. Never in my life have I seen a book so festooned with footnotes as this one. They take up over half the book - on any given page, there is about one inch of text along the top of the page, and the rest is covered by footnotes. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that these footnotes contain little of any interest to me.

2. This book comes across as nothing more than a massive attempt on the part of Jung to justify and support the ideas he has had over the years. Often the book reads like some kind of list of ancient alchemists and mythmakers who have foreshadowed and echoed Jung's sentiments. Many paragraphs are devoted to listing names which will be unfamilier to almost everyone, capped off by footnotes explaining who these people were. Rather than concoct new ideas, Jung seems to have opted to dig up ancient figures who can "back up" some of his major ideas. It seems like Jung is trying to fend off critics who have accused him of putting forth unsubstantiated ideas rather than cater to his loyal fans who already trust him.

3. The overall feel of the book is simply a field guide to witches and warlocks. Granted, Jung discusses these phantoms and myths from the standpoint of depth psychology and general "psychic phenomena", and does not seem to be advocating a literal-historical belief in all these myths. However, we are bombarded with myth after esoteric myth throughout the book, while Jung leaves it to us to interpret the symbolic value and modern psychological parallels of these myths. Very rarely does Jung give us a useful interpretation of what these myths should mean to us.

4. This book is very self-indulgent on Jung's part. It consists almost entirely of Jung's most esoteric "pet" concepts, like archetypes, alchemy, ancient myths, and sorcery. It is precisely these strange "pet" concepts which have given fodder to many of Jung's critics, who accuse him of being obsessed with ancient rituals which have little relevance to the modern day world.

Overall, I recommend this book only to those readers of Jung who want to go all the way and read every one of the collected works; this book should be near the bottom of the list. Do not read this book unless you have already read volumes 6,7,8,9,10,11, and 12 of the CW.

Jung¿s quintessential work on Alchemy.
"The light that gradually dawns on him consists in his understanding that his fantasy is a real psychic process which is happening to him personally." (Jung p. 528-529) This sentence from the book sums-up its content.

In this work Jung demonstrates that Alchemy was a precursor to modern Western psychological insight. Jung draws a "process map" of the Alchemy in this volume, in which he laboriously (but not tediously) shows that the steps the alchemists took to bring about the transformation of matter. Jung suggests that this process is a metaphoric representation of a process some humans travel to reach a level of consciousness that includes and unites the unseen (transcendent) reality with the visible experience.

It can be read as an interesting intellectual insight into earlier Western thought, or it can be used by an individual as a guide through the process of psychological transformation. This work is essential to anyone on the path of transformation and who looks to Jung as a guide on that path. It is not for a casual reader of Jung.

Dreamlike & Inexhaustible
The following is a review for Mysterium Coniunctionis:

Jung seems to write from the dream state; associations interleaved with digressions punctuated by potent and startling images. This is his most satisfying book for me because it has the simplest premise but is also the largest and richest. He stretches out enormously within a limited range, gathering a life-time of inquiry into a writhing basket of conflicting thought. This method illustrates perfectly how deep experience can become when meditated upon and scrutinized and when tangents are whole-heartedly encouraged and darksides allowed to bloom. No need to hop-scotch around the world, just look into the pile of dead ants beneath your radiator and let your mind wander. The conjunction of opposites: perhaps Jung's emblem for the source of life, the alembic, where all intellectual and emotional births occur. Read and reread this book to step through the microcosmic door into unlimited life right where you are.

Dreamlike & Inexhaustible
Jung seems to write from the dream state; associations interleaved with digressions punctuated by potent and startling images. This is his most satisfying book for me because it has the simplest premise but is also the largest and richest. He stretches out enormously within a limited range, gathering a life-time of inquiry into a writhing basket of conflicting thought. This method illustrates perfectly how deep experience can become when meditated upon and scrutinized and when tangents are whole-heartedly encouraged and darksides allowed to bloom. No need to hop-scotch around the world, just look into the pile of dead ants beneath your radiator and let your mind wander. The conjunction of opposites: perhaps Jung's emblem for the source of life, the alembic, where all intellectual and emotional births occur. Read and reread this book to step through the microcosmic door into unlimited life right where you are.

Jung's last big book, and his richest....
Jung rises to unscaled heights in this scholarly and alchemically informed book that in its ultimate reach points to the One World of Gerhard Dorn and an ultimate synthesis of soul, soma, and spirit with the pleromatic Ground of everything. Along with AION and ANSWER TO JOB this may be Jung's deepest book. Highly technical. (See also Edinger's THE MYSTERIUM LECTURES.) ... Read more

Book Description

One of the most influential French intellectuals of this century, Lacan is seen here at the height of his powers. Lacan dedicates this seventh year of his famous seminar to the problematic role of ethics in psychoanalysis. Delving into the psychoanalyst's inevitable involvement with ethical questions and "the attraction of transgression," Lacan illuminates Freud's psychoanalytic work and its continued influence. Lacan explores the problem of sublimation, the paradox of jouissance, the essence of tragedy (a reading of Sophocle's Antigone), and the tragic dimension of analytic experience. His exploration leads us to startling insights on "the consequence of man's relationship to desire" and the conflicting judgments of ethics and analysis. ... Read more

Book Description

In the tradition of Annie Dillard and Natalie Goldberg, this resource for writers and non-writers alike shows the act of writing to be a dynamic means of knowing, healing, and creating the body, mind, and spirit. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wonderful
I love all Robert Johnson's work. I find him easy to read and understand.

Healing the wounded feeling function
"This book is about our wounded feeling function, probably the most common and painful wound which occurs in our Western world. It is very dangerous when a wound is so common in culture that hardly anyone knows there is a problem." Johnson opens his book with these provocative sentences. The first thing he does is convince the reader that the problem exists, and is of considerable scope. For example, our modern English language is not really adequate for a full description of the problem, having the vague and much abused word "feeling" and only one word, equally vague, for "love". Johnson, a Jungian analyst, explores the problem using myths -- the Fisher King and the Handless Maiden, to demonstrate the wounded feeling function in, respectively, masculinity and femininity. Through the myths, Johnson not only diagnoses the problem, but makes practical suggestions for healing. This wonderful little book, scarcely 100 pages long, can be read in an afternoon, although its insights could change the directions of a life. ... Read more